The Importance of Person-Centered Care in Older Adult Nursing Care

This essay delves into the significance of person-centered care within the nursing field, particularly concerning the well-being of older adults. It utilizes a case study approach, focusing on a 72-year-old patient named Adrian who suffers from dementia and knee pain. The essay highlights the four principles of person-centered care: dignity, respect, compassion, coordinated care, and personalized support, emphasizing their importance in addressing Adrian's specific needs and preferences. It reviews current literature to identify effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, including physical therapy, specialist care, and self-management training, tailored to Adrian's condition. The essay concludes by advocating for the implementation of these strategies, alongside family involvement, to promote healthy aging and improve Adrian's overall quality of life, suggesting that home care nursing can help rebuild his self-esteem and combat social discrimination.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
PERSON CENTERED CARE AND ITS IMPORTANCE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Introduction
In the recent healthcare industry, person centered care has become one of the key aspects
of the care process. As it is still an evolving and emerging concept, the principles and concept of
it is vulnerable to change according to the need of the patient (Caligtan et al. 2012). According to
Ho et al. (2012), person centered care is the care process, that depends on the needs,
circumstances and preferences of the patient receiving care. The primary concept behind person
centered care comes from relevancy of one intervention to a specific person. There is a
possibility that effective intervention applied to one person, may not provide proper result in
another patient. Hence, patient centered care evolved so that fundamental need of each different
person can be met. Especially for aged individual’s person centered care becomes important
because of their dependency, their weakened memory process, their disabilities and their
degenerative condition (Kuo et al. 2012). This assignment will be focusing on the importance of
person centered care in an older patient Adrian’s (72) health. The prime of this assignment is to
demonstrate the need of Adrian and his perspective with the use of recent literatures and then to
create a care plan with implementation of several strategies to enable him achieve a healthy
aging process. Further the assignment will also provide an idea in which the family will be
involved in the care plan process.
Critical reflection of discussion
To understand the need, preference and the resources available and the strength and
weakness of Adrian, a conversation was conducted with him. While conducting the conversation,
the four principles of person centered care were taken into account so that ethically compliance
care can be provided to Adrian. These principles were affording every person’s dignity, respect

2NURSING ASSIGNMENT
and compassion and offering them with coordinated care, and support while treatment. Further,
offering them with personalized care and support so that they are able to develop their own
strength, abilities so that can live an independent and fulfilling life. These principles are basis of
person centered care hence, while conversing with Adrian these were kept in mind. While
discussion the patient revealed that he and his wife stays in Victoria Australia alone as they have
no children. Adrian is suffering from dementia and he agreed that due to his dementia related
concern, he has faced embarrassing situations in his locality and due to his severe knee pain, he
is unable to roam outside his house. Despite of the fact he agrees that his companion and her
support was one of the best thing about growing up. However, social exclusion, lowliness and
lack of proper financial support was few of the hardest things about growing older for him. He
mentions that all these discrimination has ignited a need of being physically healthy within him
and for that purpose he feels that person centered care will be perfect support for him to achieve
these goals. Hence, from the discussion with Adrian, it is determined that he is suffering from
dementia and does not have any care provider except her wife to care for her physical as well as
mental health related needs. Therefore, person centered care will be one of the adequate way to
understand the health related needs of Adrian and a care plan related to his dementia and knee
pain will be prepared and implemented.
Critical review of current literature
According to the information gained from the interview with Adrian, it can be said that
for the treatment of Adrian, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment should be
implemented. These care process might include physical therapy, prevention strategies, specialist
care that primarily focuses on person centered care. After that the healthcare facility will discuss
with him regarding the goal setting and planning the flow of intervention with him. The prime

3NURSING ASSIGNMENT
aim of goal and aim determination is to provide him with the opportunity to develop coping and
management strategies related to dementia and determine the steps of pain management of knees.
Further he can also be asked to join self-management training so that the psychological needs
and behavioral needs of Adrian can be managed.
Edvardsson Sandman and Borell (2014) determines the importance of person centered
care in dementia and states that due to such disability people lose their ability to think,
reciprocate to social signals therefore, the holistic approach of person centered care helps to
provide the person with dementia a complete spiritual, physical and mental care that helps to
improve the patient condition and his relation with his social counterparts. In this context Adrian
stays alone with his wife in their home and if a home care nursing professional can be appointed
to provide him with person centered care, he will be able to come our=t of the effect of social
discrimination and will rebuild his own self esteem that stops him to come out of his house and
face the social discriminations. Brownie and Nancarrow (2013) also discusses the effect of
person centered care in dementia in their systematic review and determined that due to
multifactorial and comprising elements the person centered care was able to provide adequate
care to 146 patient out of 323 who participated in person centered care program. The researcher
conducted research using 17 years research and determined the effectiveness of person centered
care in dementia. Further, research of Corbett et al. (2012) should also be mentioned in this
article as the researchers find out the need of person centered care in patients affected with pain
and unable to perform activities of daily life. The researchers determined that due to person
centered nursing care, pain management becomes easier and the person can develop trust upon
the healthcare professionals and undergoes each intervention that can help them to improve their
health condition. According to Barr et al. (2013) as Adrian is staying alone with his wife, it will

4NURSING ASSIGNMENT
be impossible for him to stay in a care center for his dementia and improve his health. Therefor
person centered care is the only option available for his so that he can stay at his place and
undergoes all the interventions that can help to improve his dementia related condition.
Reuben and Tinetti (2012) determines that it is important to understand the physical and
mental health related need of patient prior to implement person centered care. Adrian is suffering
from social discrimination, and physically pain and dementia are his primary issues. Therefore,
care process of Adrian should be inclusive of physical exercises to relief his knee related pain,
activities such as gardening, art, calculations and remembering therapy so that his memory can
be enhanced (Stein-Parbury et al. 2012). These interventions need mental stability and positive
environment as without these, the condition of patient will not improve. Hence, these has been
chosen as the primary intervention for Adrian.
Discussion
All the above-mentioned literature reviews can be implemented in the care process of
Adrian. Edvardsson Sandman and Borell (2014) determines that care homes are effective in
improving the dementia related condition of patient as in care homes a serious of activities
enforces them with their past memories. Further it strengthens the recent knowledge of the
patient by implementing reasoning and arithmetical skills. This is not possible for Adrian as he is
unable to leave his wife and admit himself in a care home (Brownie and Nancarrow 2013).
Therefore a healthcare professionals can be appointed to provide person centered care to Adrian
so that he can reinforce all the past knowledge within himself. Further, for the pain management
activities such as exercise, walking gardening can be implemented in care plan so that with these
activities, Adrian can start moving slowly and can enhance his bone strength to reduce the pain.

5NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Research by Corbett et al. (2012) and Stein-Parbury et al. (2012) also determines that parson
centered care al old age helps to understand the specific need of a person and required
interventions to improve the patient condition.
Conclusion
The principles of person centered care determines the basic needs, requirements,
preferences, and support the individual will require to overcome the physical ailment and mental
shock of illness. In this assignment, the discussion related to Adrian (72) was discussed who is
suffering from dementia and severe knee pain. These details were utilized to research regarding
healthcare interventions and person centered care for Adrian and it was found that person
centered care will help him to stabilize his dementia related condition and the pain will also be
treated. In this assignment, six different literatures were selected and depending on that the
importance of patient centered care for Adrian was selected. This selected interventions were
targeted for two primary needs and preferences of Adrian as he took active participation in the
care planning process.

6NURSING ASSIGNMENT
References
Barr, J., Fraser, G.L., Puntillo, K., Ely, E.W., Gélinas, C., Dasta, J.F., Davidson, J.E., Devlin,
J.W., Kress, J.P., Joffe, A.M. and Coursin, D.B., 2013. Clinical practice guidelines for the
management of pain, agitation, and delirium in adult patients in the intensive care unit. Critical
care medicine, 41(1), pp.263-306.
Brownie, S. and Nancarrow, S., 2013. Effects of person-centered care on residents and staff in
aged-care facilities: a systematic review. Clinical interventions in Aging, 8, p.1.
Caligtan, C.A., Carroll, D.L., Hurley, A.C., Gersh-Zaremski, R. and Dykes, P.C., 2012. Bedside
information technology to support patient-centered care. International journal of medical
informatics, 81(7), pp.442-451.
Corbett, A., Husebo, B., Malcangio, M., Staniland, A., Cohen-Mansfield, J., Aarsland, D. and
Ballard, C., 2012. Assessment and treatment of pain in people with dementia. Nature Reviews
Neurology, 8(5), p.264.
Edvardsson, D., Sandman, P.O. and Borell, L., 2014. Implementing national guidelines for
person-centered care of people with dementia in residential aged care: effects on perceived
person-centeredness, staff strain, and stress of conscience. International Psychogeriatrics, 26(7),
pp.1171-1179.
Ho, A.L., Klassen, A.F., Cano, S., Scott, A.M. and Pusic, A.L., 2013. Optimizing patient-
centered care in breast reconstruction: the importance of preoperative information and patient-
physician communication. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 132(2), pp.212e-220e.

7NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Kuo, D.Z., Houtrow, A.J., Arango, P., Kuhlthau, K.A., Simmons, J.M. and Neff, J.M., 2012.
Family-centered care: current applications and future directions in pediatric health
care. Maternal and child health journal, 16(2), pp.297-305.
Reuben, D.B. and Tinetti, M.E., 2012. Goal-oriented patient care—an alternative health
outcomes paradigm. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(9), pp.777-779.
Stein-Parbury, J., Chenoweth, L., Jeon, Y.H., Brodaty, H., Haas, M. and Norman, R., 2012.
Implementing person-centered care in residential dementia care. Clinical gerontologist, 35(5),
pp.404-424.

8NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Appendix
1. This summary includes the responses collected while conversing with the patient. while asking
the changes he has noticed in himself, the patient replied that as he grown old, he felt that he was
unable to remember several memories, person and places that were important n his life, later it
was determined that he is suffering from dementia. However, his some of the best memories of
growing up was the companionship with his wife. Instead of that there were several negative
aspects of it such as the social discrimination they faced just because they had no children.
However, after experiencing his deteriorated health, the only aim Adrian has is making himself
fit and active so that he can take care of his wife. Therefore, he thinks patient centered care will
be an important part of his health improvement planning.
2.
Authors Study design Sample Intervention Findings Implications
Barr et al.
(2013)
Systematic
review
1900
databases
Person
centered care
for patients
affected with
pain
All the
research
articles
determines
that it is
effective in
pain
management
too
It should be
used in care
for patient
with pain
Reuben and
Tinetti
(2012)
Quality care
approach
200 patients
affected with
pain
Patient
centered care
was
implemented
After 6
months their
condition was
determined
It was
determined
that it can be
used for
people
affected with
pain
Corbett et
al. (2012)
Systematic
review
Reviewed
more than 50
Person
centered care
It was
determined
Person
centered care

9NURSING ASSIGNMENT
papers for patients
affected with
severe pain
that it helps
to overcome
stiffness and
improve pain
related
condition
should be
used
Brownie and
Nancarrow
(2013)
Systematic
review
323
individuals
Person
centered care
were used to
dementia
patients to
understand
the effective
ness
Total 147
patient
condition was
improved
after the
research
Patient
centered care
can be used
to improve
the patient
condition
affected with
dementia
Stein-
Parbury et
al. (2012)
Randomized
control trial
Two groups
of dementia
affected
patient , one
target group
and one
control group
Intervention
was apllied to
target group
and the
controlled
group was
provided with
only
medication
It was found
that target
group was
able to
improve its
memory
faster than
the control
group
Medical
interventions
with person
centered care
are helpful in
improving
dementia
related
condition
Edvardsson,
Sandman
and Borell
(2014)
Quasi-
experimental
study
one-group
pre-test–post-
test design
with a 12-
month
follow-up to
explore
intervention
effects on
person-
centeredness
of care and
the
environment
and on staff
strain and
stress of
conscience
Person
centered care
was used
The
intervention
resulted in
significantly
higher scores
on person-
centeredness
of care at
follow-up,
and the
facility was
rated as being
significantly
more
hospitable at
follow-up
Patient
should be
provided with
the care and
activities they
wanted to
provide after
the
intervention.